Bill Leyden
This is not "Bill Leyden" the game show host. Pfc. Bill Leyden was a marine in Sledge's unit in K Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division (K/3/5). He was wounded twice by explosions, once in Peleliu, and the other in Okinawa History Bill Leyden was born on May 27 1926 on Long Island of the coast of New York. He enlisted in the Marines at one point, meeting Eugene Sledge and Robert Oswalt at another. Prior to Peleliu Leyden, Sledge, and Oswalt disembarked off the ship that transported them to Pavuvu, where the rest of the 1st Marine Division was staying at the time. At first, they tried to find a place to stay in Robert Leckie's cabin, then they went to the cabin belonging to the veterans of the unit they were assigned to: Snafu, Burgin, and De L'Eau, the latter showing them around the camp. Peleliu Leyden and the rest of the squad boarded a boat headed for Peleliu, serving under Capt. Andrew Haldane. Landing Leyden does not have a significant role here. Airfield Leyden does not have a significant role in the next episode either, even after Robert Oswalt is killed in the airfield assault. Bloody Nose Ridge Leyden was later part of the marines that took part in the fighting in the Bloody Nose Ridge. While fighting some Japanese soldiers just inside a bunker, Leyden is wounded by shrapnel and the concussion of a Japanese grenade. While Eugene Sledge comforts him, Sledge spots an enemy soldier and fights him off, with Leyden sceaming frantically all the time. Eventually, it is revealed that Leyden survived, and he will be back in the squad in three months. Okinawa Leyden was later part of the marines that served in Okinawa, returning just in time. In this battle, it would seem that Leyden's personality has drastically changed since Peleliu. Now he was more bitter, and he picks on the replacements, Pvt. Hamm and Pvt. Tony Peck, many times, mostly Peck, who he mainly taunts about the latter's wife. Eventually, Leyden gets some comeuppance when he is wounded a second time. He survives yet again, but he would be sent home shortly afterwards. Later Life After recovering from his wounds, Leyden becomes a professional golfer. He corresponded with other veterans, including Sledge, before he passed away in 2008. Trivia * Leyden is never mentioned in Sledges memior, With the Old Breed. **Leyden does get mentioned, however, in B.A.R. Rifleman veteran Sterling Mace's memior Battleground Pacific: A Marine Rifleman's Combat Odyessy in K/3/5. **On Peleliu, Leyden is a rifleman using a M1 Garand, but on Okinawa he's a sub-machine gunner using a M1A1 Thompson. : Since Leyden was a rifleman, he was not with the mortar section when they were clearing out the empty bunker. He was wounded though. His platoon was attacking another bunker when an enemy soldier's grenade went off after Leyden killed him. : See Also Eugene Sledge Merriel Shelton Romus Valton Burgin Jay De L'Eau Robert Oswalt Tony Peck Hamm 1st Marine Division Category:Characters Category:Marines Category:Deseased Characters